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Summary

(15/04/1995) (SX 5820 6455 ) Medieval field system covers approximately 16 ha and is situated on the lower slopes of lee moor overlooking spanish lake. It incorporates the earlier willings walls reave which was partly refurbished at the time the fields were laid out. The medieval farmstead associated within this field system survives as sx58256456. At least 6 irregular shaped fields survive and most are denoted by rubble banks and associated ditches. The n field is however defined on the n by a substantial gully with average dimensions of 4m wide and 1m deep and there is no accompanying bank. The w side of the field system appears to be defined by spanish lake though at sx58146453 a short length of boundary wall situated on the w side of the stream may represent an outlying part.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019083: Medieval farmstead and field system, length of Willings Walls Reave, four round cairns, a ring cairn and pillow mounds at Willings Walls Warren

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/532
• Old SAM Ref: 24231

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140756 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(15/04/1995) (SX 5820 6455) Medieval field system covers approximately 16 hectares and is situated on the lower slopes of Lee Moor overlooking Spanish Lake. It incorporates the earlier Willings Walls Reave which was partly refurbished at the time the fields were laid out. The medieval farmstead associated within this field system survives at SX 5825 6456. At least 6 irregular shaped fields survive and most are denoted by rubble banks and associated ditches. The north field is however defined on the north by a substantial gully with average dimensions of 4m wide and 1m deep and there is no accompanying bank. The western side of the field system appears to be defined by Spanish Lake though at SX 5814 6453 a short length of boundary wall situated on the west side of the stream may represent an outlying part.
The field system appears to have ceased functioning for arable purposes before the rabbit warren was established in this area, since 12 pillow mounds lie within the fields. Cutting through the three upper fields is the Phillips Leat which was constructed around 1835. The National Trust inventory describes and depicts many of the components but does not record them as being associated with a field system of Medieval date. The inventory sees the east boundary of the field system as a prehistoric reave, but this feature survives in the field as a ditch and bank and does not resemble any of the known reaves in the area.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 123, 151-2/102.479 + 520 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

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